Snow plow



May 10, 1938. s. B. HITCHENS snow PLOW Filed April 16, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet l Inventor .4 iinrneys May 10, 1938. s. B. HITCHENS 2,116,945

snow PLOW Filed April 16, 937 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Attorneys 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 SNOW PLOW S. B. HITCHENS Filed April 16, 1937 May 10, 1938.

May 10, 1938. s. B. HITCHENS snow PLOW Filed April 16, 1937 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 m n I w v Inventor 653 .22 Zz/wzza A iiorneys May 10, 1938.

s. B. HITCHENS SNOW PLOW n} m a 5 M E. 2 Q r R m H 1%.. W m \\\N N. \%\\NPPR|\ k Patented May 10, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIC E 1 Claim.

This invention appertains to new and useful improvements in snow plows-whereby snow can be removed from streets and roadwaysin a quick and eflicient manner.

An important object of the invention is to provide a snow plow which employs a transverse or lateral conveyor for snow and upon which the snow is mechanically placed as the plow operates against the same.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a snow plow adapted to be pushed by a powered vehicle and driven by a power connection with the said powered vehicle.

Other important objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to the reader of the following specification.

In the drawings:-

Figure 1 represents a top plan view of the apparatus.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view.

Figure 4 is a transverse vertical sectional view.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional View of a modified form of the invention.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the modified form shown in Figure 5.

Figure '7 is a fragmentary sectional view through the blower.

Figure 8 is a rear elevational view of the plow.

Referring to the drawings wherein like numerals designate like parts, it can be seen in Figure 1 that numeral 5 denotes the forward end portion of a tractor frame which has forwardly projecting arms li--6 to which the frame members I of the plow construction generally referred to by numeral 8 are pivotally secured as at 9. These members I extend vertically at the rear of the frame from the horizontally disposed frame portion Ill underlying the box structure. A snow catching box I is mounted upon the frame II] and has the hinged top l2 whereby access can be had to the interior thereof. This box H is provided with the end walls |3|4 and is open at its front side. Forwardly extending, diverged wing members |5-|5 project from the end walls |3-|4 and these wing members |5|5 are connected by the fan-shaped bottom wall It having the reinforced blade-like edge |'I.

As is suggested in Figures 1 and 2, the walls |3-|4 extend forwardly of the box proper for a short distance as at |3a-|4a before they merge with the wings |5-| 5 and through these wall extensions |3a|4a passes the shaft l8 which has its ends journal-ed in the bearings IS on the vertical leg. portions of the inverted U-shaped frame 20.

As is suggested in Figure 3, an impeller generally referred to by numeral 2| is employed for driving the snow backwardly on the inclined bottom It and onto the conveyor designated generally by numeral 22.

The impeller2l consists of. the plurality of blades 23 extending longitudinally on the drum 24 and each of these blades 23 has brace rods 25 on the back side thereof extending transversely thereof and bracing one blade against the succeeding blade.

On the back wall of the box I l are the bearings 26 through which the shaft 21 is journaled, the shaft having the sprocket wheel 28 at one end and the sprocket wheel 29 on its opposite end. As is clearly shown in Figure 1, the sprocket wheel 3|! is provided on the aforementioned shaft I8 and a sprocket chain 3| is trained over these sprockets 28-30 so that the impeller 2| is driven by the shaft 21. The shaft 21 is driven in turn by a chain 32 which extends from the tractor (not shown) forwardly and is trained over the sprocket wheel 33 on the shaft 21.

As is shown in Figures 3 and 8, the lower portion of the box II has a pair of forwardly and rearwardly extending shafts 3435 provided with sprocket wheels 36 thereon, these sprocket wheels having endless chains 3'! trained thereover while the chains, in turn, are connected by slats 38 defining the conveyor 22. The shaft 34 of the conveyor 22 is equipped with a worm gear 39 with which the worm 49 on the stub shaft 4| meshes. This stub shaft 4| has a sprocket wheel 42 and a companion sprocket wheel 43 is provided on the shaft 21. A sprocket chain 44 is trained over the sprockets 42-43 so that the shaft 2'! drives the shaft 34 of the conveyor 22.

As is shown in Figure 3, a deflecting plate 45 extends horizontally along the end walls |3-|4 and back wall of the box just above the conveyor 22 with its lower end sloping over the conveyor 22 as at 46. This prevents snow from caking onto the edge portion of the conveyor 22 and the chains 36 thereof.

A fan housing 4'! is secured to the end Wall l3 of the box II and this is provided with the stack 43 having the swivelled elbow 49 at its upper end. In the housing 41 and on the shaft 50 is the blower fan 5|. The outer end of the shaft Bil is provided with the small sprocket 52 over which the chain 53 from the sprocket 29 is trained. Thus the fan 5| is also driven by the shaft 21.

Obviously as snow comes up on to the plow bottom l6 as the plow is moved into snow, the impeller 2| shoves the same backwardly onto the conveyor 22 which carries the snow laterally into the fan housing 41, where the fan 5| blows the same up the stack 48. The snow discharges from the elbow 49 laterally of the roadway.

A slightly modified form is suggested in Figures 5 and 6 wherein an inclined chute 54 is provided. This chute is provided with the side walls 55 and is connected to the lower portion of the box II. A brace 56 extends between the chute and the end wall l3 of the box II in this modified form. The conveyor 22 has its upper flight slightly elevated above the upper flight of the conveyor 51 of the chute, which conveyor involves the endless chain 58 and connecting slats 59, the chains being trained over sprocket 60 on end shafts 6|62 of the chute. The upper flights of the chains pass over the chute 54 while the lower flights pass under the chute. Obviously snow is elevated in this chute and discharges from the upper end thereof to the side of the roadway.

While the foregoing specification sets forth the invention in specific terms, it is to be understood that numerous changes in the shape, size and materials may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed hereinafter.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new is:-

In a snow plow, a scoop-like plow structure adapted to scoop up snow in the front end thereof and including side walls and a rearwardly and upwardly inclined bottom, a rotary impeller extending between said side walls and across said bottom midway of the latter for feeding the scooped up snow rearwardly of said bottom, a boxlike casing secured to the rear end of said structure to extend across the same and having an open front for receiving snow from said structure, and a bottom below the rear end of the bottom of said structure, a travelling conveyor mounted in the bottom of the casing to extend from side to side thereof with the upper run thereof flush with the rear edge of the bottom of said structure, a fan casing mounted on one side of the first mentioned casing and having an open side facing the discharge end of the conveyor and into which the conveyor directly discharges, a discharge pipe extending from the top of the fan casing, and a fan rotatable in said Ian casing to force the snow discharged therein out of said discharge pipe.

SHERMAN B. HITCHENS. 

